Health Officials: 71 Sickened At Church BBQ Dinner

Shelby, NC -- Health officials are investigating Cleveland County salmonella outbreak that might have stemmed from a church barbecue dinner.

Members of the Cleveland County Health department are interviewing people who attended the dinner at Sandy Plains Baptist Church. Thirteen people went to hospitals for treatment, and in all, 71, got sick.

Only three people were still in hospitals Friday.

Health officials hope the interviews will lead them to the cause of the Sept. 7 outbreak.

The church has been hosting the barbecue dinner for 50 years without any issues, according to Pastor Garin Hill. Money from the event goes toward missions and a Christmas nativity scene.